Speed Reading

Question: Why isn't this standard curriculum in schools? Do you know of a school system that teaches speed reading to everyone?

I ask because it's such an incredibly powerful tool, and I still have yet to develop it because other things (like school) keep getting in the way.

Speed reading is not based on intelligence; it's purely a function of visual processing, so everyone (except those with visual processing disorders, like a cousin of mine) can learn it.

Another thing: physical education is a joke. PE classes should teach us about our bodies: correct posture, "maintenance" stretches and the like. I wish high schools offered a massage and chiropractic electives. I'm willing to bet that this is not a difficult body of knowledge to grasp; we shouldn't be beholden to professionals for thinks like basic chiropractic adjustment when family and friends could potentially do the same for each other.

Re: Speed Reading

I had to search the net for 'chiropractic' and this is what I got to know:-

chiropractic [Gr.,=doing by hand], medical practice based on the theory that all disease results from a disruption of the functions of the nerves. The principal source of interference is thought to be displacement (or subluxation) of vertebrae of the spine, although other areas such as joints and muscle tissue may also be the sites of nerve interference. The method of treatment is by adjustment of displaced vertebrae. The chiropractor seeks to relieve the pressure on the nerves and thereby remove the cause of some specific ailment. Massage and manipulation by hand, exercise, and the application of heat, cold, and light are some of the healing techniques used. The early chiropractors believed that psychic energy, a force beyond human understanding, flowed from the brain, through the nerves, to all parts of the body and that it was interference with this force that caused disease. In 1953 the theory was revised to state that the health of body tissues is controlled by nerve impulses, and that interference in the nerve impulses causes disease. Chiropractic was introduced in the United States by D. D. Palmer in 1895 and carried on by his son, Bartlett Joshua Palmer. There are institutions for training students in the profession of chiropractic, which has legal recognition in the United States and in many other parts of the world.

I agree with your views, ryos. Speed reading is an important tool.

Last edited by ganesh (2005-12-07 19:38:12)

It is no good to try to stop knowledge from going forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge - Enrico Fermi.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

Re: Speed Reading

Here in Jersey, not sure bout rest of UK, it's illegal if the schools don't have compulsory 1 hour of PE every week, or something like that. I think any way. So I'm probably wrong.

Also, speed reading takes a bit of practice. Start off with large text sizes, as trying to learn to speed read when you can barely see the letters is very hard!! I can sort of speed read. I'm not very fast, but quite fast.

Friends are angels who lift our feet when our own wings have trouble remembering how to fly

Re: Speed Reading

Well, for kids who just sit at home all day and eat and watch TV, PE is very useful. Especially in countries with high obesity rates. We should all be having 30 minutes of exercise a day, 20 minutes of it being rigorous to get the heart and lungs pumping and circulating blood.

What about touch typing? I feel that classifies in the same category as speed reading. In the future, do you think it be more important to speed type or speed read?

Re: Speed Reading

PE, or Physical Education, is to teach you about Physical activities. Not to tell you the correct posture for life, your brain and body develop their own correct posture as they go on. It does what it says on the tin and it does it well.

Your perception of what PE does is wrong.

Speed Reading shouldn't be taught. It's a bad habit that often leaves things missed out. I can do it and I often miss bits of posts.

Boy let me tell you what: I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too. And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

Re: Speed Reading

Zach wrote:

PE, or Physical Education, is to teach you about Physical activities. Not to tell you the correct posture for life, your brain and body develop their own correct posture as they go on. It does what it says on the tin and it does it well.

Yes, your body adapts to whatever posture you habitually assume. The trouble is, there's gravity and whatnot, and we end up with lots of chronic back and neck pain (not serious, but irritating, no?).

Zach wrote:

Your perception of what PE does is wrong.

No, I just want to extend it.

Speed Reading shouldn't be taught. It's a bad habit that often leaves things missed out. I can do it and I often miss bits of posts.

Like all tools, you have to know when and how to use it. I'm told retention does not suffer if done properly (read: with lots of practice), and my experience is that that is true, though I've not pushed up to true "speed reading" speeds.